Learning how to program scanners?

[Roman215]

Hello, I am a complete newbie to radios and scanners, but have computer knowledge and my uncle wants me to program his scanners for him. I honestly don't have much interest in radios, but I'm the only person who can do it for him. I find myself completely lost and was unable to figure out how to do either the Uniden BCD996T or the BCD785D with the official software for both. He basically wants them set up to receive all the Philadelphia stuff but I don't understand anything except the frequencies. I was wondering if either there was a place to learn what all the stuff means and how to do it easily or if I can get a settings file that I can load and just have my scanners set up for me already. Thanks in advance for whatever potential help I can get.

 

[hoser147]

Welcome Roman, You came to the right place there is plenty of information here in the forums and in the Wiki located at the top in the blue bar. It may help to post this in your state forum and dont be afraid to give your city and county out. There is also a complete and up to date Database here for your use.

 

[captclint]

I was wondering if either there was a place to learn what all the stuff means and how to do it easily or if I can get a settings file that I can load and just have my scanners set up for me already. Thanks in advance for whatever potential help I can get.

Here is a link to the greater Philly Area: http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?mid=37 If you concentrate on the county in which you uncle lives, you may be better off. I understand the 800 trunking is fairly directional, and hard to get outside the city, so you really need get advice from the PA forum. They may even have a file they can send you.

If you really want to save yourself a lot of programming, you can get free software(not what comes with the radio) FreeSCAN and BCtool are for the 996T They allow a automatic download of any or all frequencies in your county and state from this site, and sets up trunking TGID's & para's(this is a big help). The 785 has other software: http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/BC785D#Supporting_Software. The only one I know well is ARC250. It is not free, but does a great job. All of these will allow you to understand the radio features and set-up much better.

Note: You would need to become a paid subscriber to this site to get the automatic down loads, but this is also very reasonable($7.5 for 3 months). This can save you countless hours of programming and frustration.

 

[ka3jjz]

Actually it might be a tad easier to use a single program for both the 785 and 996 - ProScan fits this bill. It too has the ability to use the RR database to load data.

It is also a help at times to simply import pre-loaded files from other systems. For the 996, at least, the de-facto standard is the Uniden Advanced System Director or UASD. If you request a UASD file for your area, most everyone will know what this means. I believe ProScan can import UASD files, and may be able to import other formats as well. There is a dedicated forum on that website where questions like this can be asked. Be sure to go to the Pennsylvania forum for more on this.

There is also the Phillyscanner Yahoo group which specializes in the Philly and South Jersey areas. That too is another source of information.

73 Mike

 

[UPMan]

I'd also point you to the following articles for some general background:

http://www.uniden.com/products/ButIjustwanttolistentothePolice.pdf

http://info.uniden.com/twiki/bin/view/UnidenMan4/RadioSystemsOverview

http://www.grove-ent.com/SCANNERPROGRAMMING.htm